Electric fuse.



P. C. BURNS.

ELECTRIC FUSE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I4, 1905,

1,109,036, Patented Sept. 1, 1914.

fw MMM 'Unirse s'rsfrns jPArENfr lorries.

PETER. C. BURNS, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. ASSIGNOR 'E0 AMERIGA N ELECTRIC TELE PHONE COMPANY, O F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF N BW JERSEY.

ELECTRIC USE.

To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER C. BURNS, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of State and Sixty-fourth streets, Chicago, Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Electric Fuses, of which the following is a speciiica.- tion. v

My invention relates to electric fuses in general, but more particularly to fuses in which the vfusible material is embodied ina structure` which is readily removable from the sup orting devices, and especially to the so-calle ltubular type of electric fuse,-that is to say, a fuse of that type in which the fusible wire or conductor is 'inclosed in a tubular member having its ends adapted to removably engage the supporting and conducting devices.

Generally stated, the object of my invention is; to provide an improved and highly efticient electric fuse,

Special objects of] my invention are to provide a fuse of such character that the fusible wire or conductor 'can he adjusted in 'place avithout makiig any solder connections; to rovide a *fuse of such character that the lisible wire or conductor can be readily and uickly adjusted into electrical connection withb the heads or metallic teriiiinal members of the tube or tubular inclosing member through which it extends; to provide a fuse of such character that the fusible wire or conductor may have vits end portions electrically connected with the heads or inetallic terminals of the tubular member by means of split metal plu s around which the end-portions of the fusib e Wire are Wrapped and which may then he forced into the ends of the bore of the tube, .thus obviating the necessity of soldering the said end-portions o the wire to the said heads or metallic terminals; and to provide certain details and features of im rovement tending to increase the general e ciency and service ability of 2in-electric fuse of this particular character.

To the foregoing and other useful ends, my invention consists in matters hereinafter set forth and claimed.

.In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitifdinal section ofen electric fuse embodying the principles of my invention. Fig. 2 shows'oue end-portion of the fuse shown in Fig. l, and illustrates a method of specimen of. Letters raum.

Application led September Ll, 1905.

Serial No. 278,380'.

electrically uniting the end of the fuse Wirev with the head or metallic terminal of the tubular fuse. Fig. -3 fuse shown in Fig. v1. Fig. 4 is a cross section on line 4 4 in Fig. l. Fig, 5 is a cross-section on line 5 5 in F ig.' 1. Fig. 5 is a perspective of one of the fuse Wire termi nal=plugs.

As thus illustrated, my im roved electric fuse comprises a tube A whic is preferably of Wood or other insulating material, and, which has .a longitudinal bore a and a trai-isverse opening or bore a', the .two bores inter'- secting each other at a point substantially mid-way between the two ends of the tube.

The heads or metallic terminals B are s e.A

cured upon' the end-portions of the tiihe, as

bly punching or pressin in the small or-v tions b, and are 'provi ed with reduce .01-

v e I suitably notched spiiii slor posts or other'i neck-like portions b adapted to engage any metallic supporting an eonducing BYCQS upon whichthe tubular fuse is a apted to be removably supported.v It will .be seen that these metal heads or terminals B are cach' `provided with a bore or opening@2 which registers with the There 0r longitudinal pa'S- Patented Sept. 1, 1914. l

isan end View of the sage a of the tube. Iii-each case, the metal heads or terminals-B are provided with 'at f vals eral and longitudinally 'extending no ies' or grooves li which open thi-'0u h the sigles of the neck portions b', Aas s own 'more clearly iii Fig. 4.

The fusible wire or conductor C mfv be of any sii-i table known or approved material, and of any suitable resistance, according to the character and uses of the .Circuit in which it is included. The said usib'le Yvv'ire'V has its end-portions wrapped around the Shanks. or "cylindric body-portions of the fuse wire terminal plugs D. It Will seen 'that each 0f the@ rines 'is .preferabiy if the character shown more' clearly 4in Fig. 6

Athat is to say, consists of. a eyli'ndric s'hanl'r or bor'ily-portion d tapered at its point or end and provided with a split or notch d',

the latter extending substantially for itsvfiill 1 length. in other words, this split 0r notch* extends nearly to the head J2- of the plug, so that when inserted in the vhere of one of the heads or terminals B ,and crowded down therein, the two portions of the shank o r body-portion -are flexed together, `v`thus 'j nsui-ing a constant spring orresiliency :suf-

icient to keep the plug in place and insure un a good electrical contact with the head or metal terminal B. After the fusible wire or conductor C is threaded through the bore a of the tube A, its end-portions are then wrapped around the shank or cylindric,

body-portions of the terminal plugs, as shown in Fig. 2, or the protruding endportions can be .simply bent to one side. After this the two plugs are then forced toward each other and into the bore extending through the structure as a whole, with the result that the end-portions of the fusible wire are crowded into tight contact with the inne-i* surface of the metal heads -or terminals B, as shown in Fig. 1. This is ssible, of course, by reason of the adaptability ofthe two parts or prongs of theplug to spring together, as it is pushed into the bore; and the constant tendency of the plug to expand laterally then tends to keep it in place and insure a perfect electrical contact or joint between the fuse wire and the head or terminal of the tubular fuse. In 'this Way, the fuse wire can be adjusted into place without the use of solder, and without the necessity of soldering any of the different parts together, or of resorting to other similar attaching means. The fuse wire when adjusted into place can always be readily removed for the purpose of inspection, and a burned-out fuse is very easily repaired. When the terminal plugs D are in place, as shown 1n F1g. igthe endportions of the fuse Wire within the bore of the heads or terminals B are crowded to one side and lie in the notches or grooves bfas shown more clearly in Ifig. 4. In this way, the lheads d2 of the said terminal plugs bear down upon the coiled-up endportion of the fuse Wire, and hold the same tightly upon the outer ends of the metal terminals B, thus insuring a good electrical connection between the fuse wire and the two terminals.

What I vclaim as my invention is:

1. An electric fuse lcomprising metallic terminal members, a body member upon which said terminal members are mounted, a fuse Wire, and removable longitudinally split metal plugs securing the end-portions of thefuse wire to and within the said terminal members, said plugs removable outwardly frtm the e'nds of the terminals.

2. A n e ectric fuse comprising metallic terminal members, a body member upon which said terminal members are mounted, a, fuse Wire, and removable longitudinally split metal plugs securing the end-portions of the fuse wire to the said terminal members, the Wire being coiled around each plug, said plugs having their bifurcated ends extending toward each other.

3. An electric fuse comprising a tube of insulation, gr'ooved metal terminals secured t'o the end-portions of the tube and provided with openings registering with the bore thereof, a fuse wire extending through the tube and grooves of the terminals, and metal plugs fitting within the said terminals and holding the ends of the fuse wire in electrical contact therewith.

4. An electric fuse comprising a tube of,

insulation, grooved metal terminals secured to the ends of said tube, a fuse wire extend ing through the tube and lying in the grooves of the terminals, and longitudinally split metal plugs fittingwitliin the ends of said terminals and holding the fuse wire in close electrical contacttherewith.

5. A tubular fuse provided with a longitudinally extending fuse wire, and having its ends provided with internally grooved metal terminals to which the 4end-portions of the said fuse wire are removably and elec. trically connected, the wire lyin in the grooves thereof, and means for ho ding the wire i'n the grooves. l

6. An electric fuse comprising a tube of insulation, a fuse wire extending through the bore of said tube, grooved metallic terminals secured to the ends of said tube, and plugs fitting within the ends of said termi n'als and securing the ends of the fuse wire thereto, with the Wire lying in the grooves thereof, said insulating tube having a trans verse opening therein exposing said fuse wire, said lugs removable outwardly from the ends of3said terminals.

7. A tubular fuse provided with a longitudinally extending fuse Wire, and having its ends provided with internallygrooved metallic terminals to which the end-portions of the said fuse wire are removably and electrically connected, with the Wire lying in the grooves thereof,` said tube having a transverse opening therein exposing said fuse Wire.

8. A fuse comprising a tube of insulation, metal caps for the ends' ofl said tube, pro vided with openings extending in continuation of the bore of said tube, a fuse wire extending through the base of said tube and projecting through the said openings, and

metal plugs inserted in said openings with their ends pointing toward each other, the end portions of said fuse wire being wound around the outer ends of said plugs, each plug having a head to hold the coiled Wire in place on the metal cap.

9. A fuse comprising a tube of insulation, metal caps vfor the ends of said tube, provided with openings extending in continuation of the bore of said tube, a fuse wire extending through the base of said tube and projecting through the said openings, and metal plugs inserted in said openings-with their ends projecting toward each other, the end portions of said fuse wire being wound around the outer ends of said plugs, each plug having a head to hold the coiled Wire iis in place 0n the instal cap, cat'h metal Cap provided with an interior longitudinal groove in which thv wirey is hold hy the side of the plug.

tinuation olE the bore of said tube. :1 fume wire extending through thi` huw ot' suul lube and inojtrtuig nul metal plug` instlrtvtl in mit] opvnings boing pointml :Intl .split for :l portion of its length to provid@y springy portion which )field when the plug is imm-tml in thtl my.

l1. A fuso Comprisingr :i funi-virtu plug pointing toward envi: other und around through thv Suid openings, y

l l l l i l l l l l l which thu cnil portions of tht wire are wound, terminals in whuh the plugs are 1nsvrted, and insulation bouwen smul termi-- nulay vin/fh inettil terminal proriilml with an 10. A fuse coinpribing a tulle of insuliny tion, mttal cups for thv Huls of :mid tube,

provided with openings extending in mnintcror longitudinal g1-now in which the winl is lit-hl hy the snli ol' the, ping.

,l2M A tua@ Qompriging al 'umws'iru, plnggx pointing;r towurd cnh otlwr und around whirl] thtl end nortionzfy ot' tho wirr arr wound, turnxinnlsv in Whirl th plugby are inwrtwl, :nul inf'suhxtion lu'wvtn will tornainnlszrnrh plug living; puniti-fi unil split l'or a portion of it;` length to provirh, Spring? portions whivh yirlil whon thv plugs :iw inrv Mrttil in tht` tvrtni1tn1l1-`A Signed hy nw :1t (fhirugo. lQth (luy of bhpt. i005.

Illinois, this VitnussGs:

.ALBERT J. Bustin. l. BRADLEY. 

